Portable expansion ditch-check.



N0. 639,30l. Patented Dec. 19, I899.

U. D. SHIELDS.

PORTABLE EXPANSION DITCH CHECK.

(Application filed June 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

. 'm: Noam: pzrzns co. PHOTO-LIYNQ. WASHINGTON. u: c.

' T NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ORLANDO D. SHIELDS, OF LOVELAND, COLORADO.

PORTABLE EXPANSION BITCH-CHECK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,301, dated December 19, 1899. Application filed June 8,1898. Serial No. 682,968. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLANDO D. SHIELDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Loveland, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful device for damming irrigating-ditches, the same being a portable metallic dam or check susceptible of application to irrigatin g-ditches of various sizes and of removal from point to point as occasion requires; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of my invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to do away with the dammin g of lateral ditches with earth, as usually constructed, to check the flow of water when turning out the same upon lands, and to furnish a convenient and speedy means for checking the flow of water in ditches used for the purpose of irrigation, and a dam that may be changed from place to place and adjustable to various-sized ditches.

The portable expansion-check is constructed of heavy sheet-iron or sheet metal and is made principally in three parts, to wit: a main or center part, (marked A.) Attached to this main or center dam are two wings (marked in drawings 13 B) working on a pivot at lower corner, (marked G G.) The wings B B each have a lever attached, (marked F F,) by the use of which the said wings may be set into the banks of the ditch to shutoff the flow of water around the ends of the dam.

In the center of the main dam is an iron rod or brace, (marked D,) being secured to the dam by slot-clips, (marked E E,) the purpose of this rod being to stiffen and brace the dam against the weight of water by driving the rod into the bottom of the ditch, the rod sliding up and down in the clips E E.

At the top corners of the main dam is attached a clip that acts as a guide for the wings B B in moving them backward and forward and prevents the wings from passing entirely out of place, the said guides being marked H H.

Attached to the water side of the dam and about every six inches apart are hooks (marked 1) riveted through the metal for the purpose of hooking on a canvas for use in very sandy soil to prevent water from cutting under and around the dam by holding the dirt.

Figure I shows the lower side of the dam, the wings B B being shut in ready for inserting into the ditch, the dotted lines 0 0 show in g position when wings are set out into ditchbanks. Fig. 11 shows the upper side of dam,- with wings B B opened out into banks and the hooks upon which to fasten canvas around the lower edge.

To adjust the dam, the wings being closed in, as in Fig. I, place dam in ditch where desired and placing foot upon step K push the darn down into the bottom of the ditch suffi cient to insure cutting off flow of water and at the same time by this movement driving down the rod or brace D in the earth, which will thoroughly brace the dam. Then with the levers F F throw the wings B B into the banks of the ditch on either side as shown by dotted lines O O.

My claim for the invention is 1. In a portable ditch-check, the combination of the center part A and the lateral wings pivoted at their lower ends to said center part and retained in alinement therewith by the guides H.

2. In a portable ditch-check, the combination of the center partA, the lateral wings B pivoted thereto and the center rod or brace D, substantially as described.

ORLANDO D. SHIELDS.

Witnesses:

G. H. PATTERSON, LEE J. KEHIN. 

